Horse Hoof Crack Rundown

excessively it will flare out around the bottom and the natural shape will be distorted allowing it to crack more easily.
If you give the horse a break without hoof care for months you get into flares distortion cracks and hoof wall separations says Bras. A crack that starts at the bottom of the foot and works its way up is usually related to flares or distortions.
Dont Overlook Nutrition
Bras points out that applying topical products to the hoof can change it to some extent but hooves grow from the inside out so nutrition should always be considered if a horse has poor hooves.
Horse hooves and hair require many of the same nutrients so a horse with a dull dry hair coat will likely have poorquality hooves.
If a horse is on a wellbalanced diet he should get all the requirements needed for the blood supply to provide nutrients to grow a healthy hoof capsule says Bras. Horses do metabolize nutrients differently however. Some horses even with a good diet have poorquality feet. In these cases you might need a hair sample analysis to find out if the horse has a specific nutrient deficiency that needs to be addressed.
When Horse Hoof Cracks Cause Concern
You should contact your farrier and veterinarian any time significant change occurs in a hoof or if the horse shows signs of lameness. Certain types of horse hoof cracks are cause for concern and require prompt attention from your farrier and in some cases your veterinarian as well. These include
A horizontal crack parallel to the hairline
Any horse hoof crack that involves bleeding
A hoof crack that involves separation at the hairline
If there is movement or separation in the hoof on one or both sides of a crack
A vertical horse hoof crack in the rear portion of the

hoof extending down from the coronary band see below
A horizontal crack in the hoof that runs parallel to the hairline is often related to an injury or abscess. This type of crack is typically an interruption of normal growth extending down from the coronary band A deep horse hoof crack will bleed superficial cracks wont. Bleeding from a hoof crack indicates that internal structures of the hoof are involved. This kind of crack always requires veterinary attention whether or not the horse is lame.
If you see separation at the hairline Bras explains this indicates that the integrity of the